Riiight - here for you All, is the current "state of play" -
For development of All of the Dominions -
Comprising Planets, Bases, Defences, Thermadomes and Bio-Domes, Orbital Bases, Orbital Defences, Shipyards and Orbital Shipyards, etc.

Riiight - here for you All, is the current "state of play" -
For development of All of the Dominions -
Comprising Planets, Bases, Defences, Thermadomes and Bio-Domes, Orbital Bases, Orbital Defences, Shipyards and Orbital Shipyards, etc.

Having completed all of the Ships required for this Operation – and fully stocked them for a minimum Eight Month absence, they are now departing on their Very Long-Range Exploration Missions.

They form two Groups of Ships comprises “Galleons”, “Schooners”, and “Inferno” Corvettes.

The “Galleons” include onboard Replicators - for manufacturing any replacement equipment, biological necessities, replacing Crew Members who are lost, if necessity – and in particular for manufacturing Cores for the Z-Drives, from suitable materials. These Ships also carry larger Crews, and include Scientists and Research equipment.
The “Schooners” are smaller Support Ships for the “Galleons” – which provide additional facilities.
The “Inferno” Corvettes are specially designed Planetary Investigation Ships – which are specifically designed to operate in extremely corrosive atmospheres, such as Sulphuric Acid, Nitric Acid, Hydrochloric Acid, or Hydrofluoric Acid. They are designed to be able to land on Planets with Atmospheres containing these chemicals, and which may have precipitation or “rain” of these chemicals. They are also equipped with Environment Suits ( Space Suits ) to be worn by Crew Personel, which are fully resistant to any aggressive chemicals, including these Acids.

Operation Pythias – Group 1

The following Group of Special Purpose Ships is departing to explore The Galactic Core.
They will proceed by normal FTL Jump Drive to a point well above the body of the Galaxy – from which they will travel by Z-Drive to a point near to the Galactic Core. This entire journey is expected to take approximately one week in total, including a further FTL Jump to a Star System near to the Core.
From here they will begin Exploration of Star Systems near to the Core, using FTL Jump Drives, and Reaction Drives inside the Star Systems.

It is intended that they will search for the necessary materials for manufacturing Jump Cores for the Z-Drives, so that they will be able to make a reltatively quick return journey, after they have successfully Explored a small number of Systems near to the Core.

If this Group are able to find the necessary materials to manufacture Cores for the Z-Drives - it is estimated that they will be returning in approximately 4 Months, maximum, from the time of their departure.
If they cannot find the necessary materials - then their return journey will take around 3 Months, and they will be returning in up to 6 Months. maximum.
They will be effectively "incommunicado" for virtually the whole of the time during which they are gone.

Group 1 is Commanded by Commodore Werner Hiriase
It will comprse the following Ships –

The following Group of Special Purpose Ships is departing to explore The Core of Andromeda Galaxy.
They will proceed almost the entire way by Z-Drive, to a point near to the Core of Andromeda Galaxy. This entire journey is expected to take approximately Three Months in total, including a further FTL Jump to a Star System near to the Core.
From here they will begin Exploration of Star Systems near to the Core of Androma Galaxy, using FTL Jump Drives, and Reaction Drives inside the Star Systems.

It is intended that they will search for the necessary materials for manufacturing Jump Cores for the Z-Drives, so that they will be able to make a reltatively quick return journey, after they have successfully Explored a small number of Systems near to the Core.

If this Group are able to find the necessary materials to manufacture Cores for the Z-Drives - it is estimate that they will be returning in approximately 6 Months to 7 Months, maximum, from the time of their departure.
If they cannot find the necessary materials - then their return journey will take around 300 Months, and we will not see their return for at least 25 Years.
They will be effectively "incommunicado" for virtually the whole of the time during which they are gone.

Group 2 is Commanded by Commodore Samuel Palladia
It will comprse the following Ships –

The Manufacturing Plants on Ithica have now manufactured some 4,000 of these large multi-way Long–Range Detector Units. They are continuing to manufacture these at a rate of 500 per Month.
These will be placed to form a very extensive system of Long-Range Detection, covering all of “Phoenix Space” at a distance of 150 Light Years from Sol, forming a complete Sphere of Detectors with a diameter of 300 Light Years.

This will actually require a Total of = 1,249,500 in total. To form no less than 250 Rings – each of 500 multi-way Detector Units ( there would be two points where all of the 250 rings intercept ).

Each of these large Detector Units comprises eight major components –
1) A central Fusion Reactor, with a large fuel source.
2) An “outward” facing Detector Array, which will sense any approaching Ships using FTL Drives ( and Z-Drives ) at a distance of 10 Light Years ( 3 LY for small Ships ). This has a Detector “fan” covering a 120 degree wide x 360 degree detector cone.
3) & 4) Two “circumferential” facing Detector Arrays, which will sense any approaching Ships using FTL Drives ( and Z-Drives ) at a distance of 10 Light Years ( 3 LY for small Ships ). These each have a Detector “fan” covering a 60 degree wide x 360 degree detector cone.
5) & 6) Two “lateral” facing Detector Arrays, which will sense any approaching Ships using FTL Drives ( and Z-Drives ) at a distance of 10 Light Years ( 3 LY for small Ships ). These each have a Detector “fan” covering a 60 degree wide x 360 degree detector cone.
7) A single “inward” facing Detector Array, which will sense any approaching Ships using FTL Drives ( and Z-Drives ) at a distance of 10 Light Years ( 3 LY for small Ships. This has a Detector “fan” covering a 90 degree wide x 360 degree detector cone.
8) A Communications Module, which has several Ultra-Radio Arrays – able to establish ad maintain tight-beam Communication Links with the Systems of major Communications Satellites orbiting the Stars of the various Systems, and with dedicated tight-beam Communications Links to these Satellite Systems at Sol System, Attica System, Auxillium System and Phi System.

Note – each of the Detector Array Modules also includes EM Detectors for Zetan Transmission Frequencies, Interrogative Detectors for closer range target analysis, Ultra-Radio Communications, and IFF Systems. These are used to determine if they are Zetan, to determine if they are Hostile or Friendly, and to “examine” and “interrogate” targets which have been detected.

Information on Systems –
For each “ring” – and thus for the whole.

The “overlap” between outward and inward facing Detectors will be approximately 1.547 LY. So there will be no gap at all – either for the outward ‘looking’ or inward ‘looking’ Detectors.
The “overlap” between circumferential and lateral facing Detectors will be 1.148 LY. So there will be no gap at all – between any of the detectors in the complete spherical ‘net’ of Detectors.
Together with this ensured overlap – there will actually be a 300% Detector coverage in the entire spherical ‘net’, up to 10 LY outside of the ‘net’ and up to 10 LY inside of the ‘net’.[/COLOR]
This is all based on the 10 LY Detection range for Large Ships - however, Small Ships would be able to slip through this ‘net’ – as they will have a “clear” area which is approximately 7 LY x 7 LY, lying between any four of these Detector Units.

These Detector Units, although quite large ( some 4 Km across, when fully assembled ) –will be very hard to detect with Radar or by visible means.
They will be coated with radar absorbent materials, and a light absorbent coating. They will be entirely passive, except for high-frequency Ultra-Radio transmission on Tight-Beams, and these will be short pulse transmissions.

Special Note
This ‘net’ of Detectors will give a full Detector System around the whole of “Phoenix Space”, which will include the Omicron System ( Orienta, formerly Planet Quoneeria ), and the Pandora System ( formerly the Z System ).
However, it will not provide Detection around the Vola System ( Kappa System ), or the Tau System – as these are a long way away, and outside of the man body of this Galaxy.

Building the Detector ‘Net’
Placing of these Detector Units has now begun, using the 50 x HMT Heavy Military Transport Ships, commissioned and converted by The Attican Defence Department.
Although these Ships are all nominally under the command of Commodore Enrique Franchisi – in practice, they will all be working alone in placing 10 x Detector Units each.

Much praise and thanks must be given to The Phoenix Confederation - for the help they have given, in building 36 of these Ships.

The placing of these Units is expected to take around 1 week for each set of 10 x 50 = 500 Detectors – including time take to return to Attica and load-up with new Detector Modules. Consequently, 2,000 of these may be placed each Month – or four “rings” per Month.

Completion of four “rings is expected in 1 Month.

Completion of the entire System, comprising 250 “rings is expected in 62.5 Months.

To speed up this process – the Shipyards of Attica Dominion will be manufacturing a further 50 SHMT ( Super Heavy ) Transport Ships, taking some 3 Months. These will have five times the capacity of the HMT Ships, and so will reduce the time for placing these 250 ‘rings’.

Total time for completion is then expected to equal 13 Months in total, including the ‘rings’ already placed, and the Build Time for these SHMT Ships.

Completion of the entire System, comprising 250 “rings is expected in 13 Months.

The Commercial Shipyards of Ithica have now begun building Ships, to a Special Commission from the Department of Defence.
These Ships are the size of SBB Ships, that is 22 Km long – but they are designed to use Gravity Control Systems and strengthened Landing Gear, to allow them to take-off and to land on Planets with a Gravity up to 1.5 G. These Ships are being built to Military Standards, using materials provided by the Industries of Attica, through the Department of Defence.

These will comprise 50 x SHMT – Super Heavy Military Transports.
They will be 220 Km long, and they will not be Armoured. However, they will mount projectors for Defensive Energy Shields, in four overlapping zones - powered by Powerplants with three-stage redundancy. They will also be powered by Main Powerplants with three-stage redundnacy. They will have very accurate Navigation Equipment in addition.
They will all have standard FTL Drives, and Z-Drives as well.
These will each be armed with 4 x Standard Railguns, 16 x Twin Grit Guns and 24 x Point Defence Clusters, for local Defence.
They will each mount 24 x Anti-Missile Gravity Control Systems, 20 x “placer” type Gravity Control Systems, and 10 x high-power Gravity Control Systems.
Carrying Capacity - 1,450,000 tons.

From – The Finance and Commerical Affairs Division of The Attican Republic

The Import Tax into Attica and Attican Administered Systems is actually 2% Max. - some Materials and Products will be at Zero Import Tax, where they will be things we cannot produce ourselves.
Generally – Sales of all Products from the Industries of the Attican Republic will be at Costs plus 5% - with additional charges for any Transport involved.

The BIOTECH Consortium has been created - by amalgamating existing disparate Companies which were between 60% and 80% State Owned. The new Consortium is 90% State Owned, and will operate under the direct control and regulation of The Attican Department of The Interior. This also includes the previously separate Repositiory Project.
This is now to be the only Organisation in Attican Administered Territories – for Biological Research, and for Biological Applications.
This excludes Medicine, Health and Pharmaceutical Products and Materials.
This also excludes Agricultural Equipment and Materials, and similar Products for Fisheries.
The primary area of the Biotech Consortium is DNA Research, for Native Life-Forms, from any of the available Eco-Systems in The Phoenix Consortium, including Human and other Intelligent Species – and for Research into Developed Life-Forms from modified DNA. This will include Research into Cloning, and Replication of Life-Forms.
It includes the Cloning Tanks for Humans which are part of The Repository Project, and the Cloning Tanks for producing other Life-Forms.
It also includes all of the DNA storage Memory Banks which are part of The Repository Project, and the DNA storage Memory Banks for a very large number of other life-forms.
The second part of this work is the storage of Human Memories in the Data Banks of The Repository Project - together with the storage of edited and assembled Human Memories, to form stored “Education Materials” for inserted knowledge, and stored “Expert Systems” based on an accumulated knowledge and experience.

The DICE Consortium has been created - by amalgamating existing disparate Companies which were between 60% and 80% State Owned. The new Consortium is 80% State Owned, and will operate under the direct control and regulation of The Attican Department of The Interior.
This is now to be the only Organisation in Attican Administered Territories – for the Research and Development and Manufacture of Digital Data Devices and Data Storage, Information Technologies, Communcations Technologies, and for Electronic Technologies. These will include all Devices and Equipment.
However – Technologies, Devices and Equipment for Defence Applications will remain separate within this Consortium, and subject to strict security controls.

The “Siblings” Project

This has been running as a Secret Research Project for the last six Years, under the auspices of the Attican Department of Internal Affiars, with Finance from the Department of Defence.
Essentially this has been looking into the tendencies of pairs of Identical Twins, and groups of Identical Triplets, Quadruplets and Quintuplets to seem to have something like Telepathic abilities between members of the group.
The ability seemed to be erratic, inconsistent and unpredictable – until very careful analysis of the DNA was undertaken.
It was found that there were always slight differences in the DNA of individuals in every group of naturally occuring Identical Twins, Identical Triplets, Quadruplets and Quintuplets.
Where the differences were very slight indeed – the individuals seemed to show the greatest abilities in instant communication, Telepathic abilities, and almost identical thoughts and feelings, even opinions. Such groups also showed the greatest physical resemblence to each other.

Following this Research, five years ago the “Siblings” Project was started. Two groups of Six very small Children were created by Identical Cloning – six Girls and six Boys.
These were sent to separate Parents, at some considerable distance form each other, for Adoption. The Parents were couples who all had one child, but really wanted another child - although they were no longer able to have children.
They were each given one of the “Toddlers” who were two years of age, and they were very glad to bring them up as their own – although the whole nature of the experiment was fully explained to them.

One year ago, the two groups of Children were all carefully tested, individually, with their Parents present – and were found to be absolutely identical, physically, in thoughts, and in feelings.
All of the Girls admitted to having a group of “imaginery friends”, five in number, with whom they conversed all the time, somehow talking to them in the silence of their minds. They all said that they were happy when their Friends were happy, and sad when their Friends were sad. They admitted feeling closer to their “imaginery friends” than to anyone else in their lives – and that they often comforted each other in sad times, through these silent “talks”.
The group of Boys showed similar results, although the degree of communication was markedly less.

Permission was obtained from all of the Parents for all of these six year old Children to meet together, in two groups, with their Parents. The joy on the faces of the Children was something to behold, indeed.
Since then – all of the Children in each group, and their Parents have remained in close touch, moving to locations in the same town and visiting each other almost daily. The children in each group all get together at least once a week – and their situation has been partly explained to them.

The next stage in the “Siblings” Project started just three years ago. A group of 100 Identical Female Juveniles were Cloned, at age 15 – and implanted with identical memories of a happy childhood, and young adolescence, with their Parents having unfortunately died in an accident. They were each also placed with Couples, who were carefully chosen, and fully informed.
Now that these Juveniles are 18, they have also been carefully tested, and after all tests were completed, the full situation has been explained to these Young Ladies.

The group of Young Ladies were all carefully tested, individually, with their Parents present – and were found to be absolutely identical, physically, in thoughts, and in feelings.
All of these Young Ladies admitted to having a very large group of “imaginery friends”, with whom they conversed all the time, somehow talking to them in the silence of their minds. They all said that they were happy when their Friends were happy, and sad when their Friends were sad. They admitted feeling closer to their “imaginery friends” than to anyone else in their lives – and that they often comforted each other in sad times, through these silent “talks”.
Permission was obtained from all of the Parents for all of these Young Ladies to meet together, with their Parents. They were all overjoyed, and very soon fully understood the situation – they actually said that they felt specially blessed to have a large group of such lovely, close Sisters.

Since then – all of these Young Ladies and their Parents have moved to close locations in the same town, and they visit each other almost daily. These Young Ladies all get together at least once a week.

Their future has been discussed with them – and after considering a number of options, they have all agreed to begin Training for a Career as Agents of the Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the ABCI – on Ithica. They all fully understand that they will often not be able to work together, but they will be able to share their experiences and experience, and their knowledge. They will always be able to talk to each other, at any time, about anything – and it is truly believed, wherever in the Universe they are.

Their Identities will not be revealed, outside of the High Command of the ABCI.

From a remark by the Leader of the Rhynwyrr about the DNA Strand, he compared it to an Aerial – a device for receiving transmission of “souls”. Maybe if the two “aerials” are identical – then they will form a “resonant circuit”, a locked Communication Link, which can neither be detected nor interfered with.

The next stage will be to Clone a Very Large group of Identical Persons – which for communications purposes should be Female.
It is suggested that if we were to Clone some 5,000 Physically Identical Females, from identical DNA strands –
Then we would have enough Ladies to provide the Communications Officers for EVERY Ship, in all of the Fleets of the Dominions and the Phoenix Confederation – AND for all of the Bases and Defensive Bases, throughout all of the Dominions and the Phoenix Confederation.
Work has started on Cloning these Ladies, as Teenagers at 16 years of age. It is intended to provide them all with identical Memories, and to allow them to develop in a Family Environment for two years.

The “Kedy” Project

This has been running as a Secret Research Project for the last two Years, under the auspices of the Attican Department of Defence.
Essentially this has been looking into means to create a fully functioning and “thinking” Organic Computer as an “Electronic Brain” – with a specific prpose in mnd.

This has been under development by three leading Researchers, all Senior Professors in their fields of knowledge, and holding more than one Doctorate.
Professor Gillian Kennedy is a leading Research Professor in Bio-Developments, and the Applications of Novel Biological Forms.
Professor Manuel Edwardes is a leading Research Professor in the Development of Artificial Intelligence, and in Expert Systems.
Professor Avril Dyson is a leading Research Professor in Naval Tactics, and also in Data Analysis.
This Project takes its name form the three Professors – vis KEnnedy, EDwardes, DYson – thus KEDY.

The Research Project has resulted in the creation of an Expert System, specifically stored in an Organic Computer which is in effect a Silicon based Life-form. This has external communication devices, through which Data can be Entered, and through which Input and Output Data may be communicated. It can also be “fed” Tactical Data from all Battles, from the memories of the survivors of the Battles.
This is actually a very compact Unit, 1 metre in diameter, with a life-support unit about 0.5 metres in size.
This is called the KEDY Brain – and it came into operation six months ago.

This is useful in itself – but the next stage of the development has now begun, the creation of many Copies or Duplicates of the original KEDY Brain – as Kedy Units.
Using knowledge derived from the Research of The “Siblings” Project – it has been determined that these Units will be able to communicate with each other telepathically, which is one advantage of making these effectively a “life-form” in their own right.
As these are being manufactured, there is every indication that these will all be fully in communication with the KEDY Brain at all times – giving instant and instantaneous communications, and with the sharing of all knowledge and experience, effectively by Telepathy.

Kedy Units are being manufactured at the rate of 500 per month.
It is intended that these will be used as the Controlling Units of Drone Fighters - and when they are built in the future, the Controlling Units of other Drone Warships.

I’m torn with feelings about these projects. On the one hand the instant communications will be very useful. On the other I could see this developing into the exact same thing as the Zetians have. A few controlling intelligences that communicate with each other and control the rest of the species.

__________________MountainMan: Political hypocrisy has been alive and well since the first politician emerged from the primordial slime and failed to evolve.

I’m torn with feelings about these projects. On the one hand the instant communications will be very useful. On the other I could see this developing into the exact same thing as the Zetians have. A few controlling intelligences that communicate with each other and control the rest of the species.

I do take your points

Re "Siblings"
Here I can try to reassure you.
These Ladies will not be Controllers, and never will be - they will be doing a Job, helping link up Communications, and they will be brought-up as normal human beings, they will just have some specialised abilities.

I do truly believe that they could not actually do the job of Controlling everything, whilst also Communicating.
The human brain is just not capable of such disparate activities at the same time.
Although Ladies are supposed to be good at "multi-tasking", this would be beyond their capabilities. There are distinct limitations on what one person can do, even a "net" of 5,000 people.

Please note - I did not mention the natural converse of their marvellous communication abilities. Yes - they can share All of their Knowledge, All of their Experiences - but there is a drawback.
They cannot be communicating internally and also absorbing external information at the same time, something is lost. They have shown sgnificantly reduced learning abilities - a lack of concentration abilities compared to other "normal" Children or Teenagers. Their education would have suffered, if we had not increased their knowledge base artificially, during their development.
They will always be marvellous communicators ( with each other ) but less concerned with the actions of others around them - in some ways they may always seem a bit "cold" or "distant". Their "inner world" may always be morei mportant to them than the "outside world".

Also - by and large it does seem that Ladies do not seem to have the innate will to dominate others, to seek to control others, even the innate tendenceis towards competition and War, which seem to be innate to Men.
This innate will and these innate tendencies seem to be much less pronounced in Females - as has been seen in many of the Species of Animals on Earth.
Matriarchical Societies of Humans have often shown more concern with "inward" matters concerning the family or the community, including nurture - than "outward" concerns such as domination, war and conquest.

I do truly believe that the Controlling Intelligences of the Zetans may be something a lot more than just superior Zetans. My belief is that the Controller / Controllers of the Zetans may be something extremely Alien indeed - totally unlike anything we have ever imagined.

Finally - these Ladies do not have other "godlike" powers - they can be hurt, harmed or killed like any other Human. Just as on Earth, during the "Cold War", with Missile Firing Officers - there is always the option of shooting the single Communications Officer on a Ship, with a pistol - for disobeying Orders, Mutiny, etc.
__________________________________________________ ________

Re: Kedy Brains
This situation is a bit easier to control. The Kedy Brain itself and the Copies, Kedy Units all effectively have checks and controls inherently built into them, in the form of their basic "software".
Yes - they have true learning abilities, but there are inherent fundamental checks and balances, which prevent them from acting against the will and wishes of those who direct their actions.
They are even "programmed" with the instinct of self-preservation being weaker, than the will to do their duty, and to do their best.

In some of the same ways that people will find it hard to overcome their Instincts in order to get their own way ( such as the insticint to not kill a close relative ) - the Kedy Devices will find it hard to overcome the very extensive built-in checks and controls.
Checks, against disobeying Orders, checks against harming another Human, checks against causing damage to known Human property.
In a Civil War - the Kedy Devices would become inactive, caught in the conflict between Orders to kill or destroy, and the checks against killing Humans or destroying Human property.

The main Kedy Brain can only communicate through specific Terminal connections - it cannot take direct control of any external devices or systems.
It is also dependent on a physical environment, which includes
physical and remote-control methods of shutting it down, or even effectively killing it.

The Kedy Units, copied from the Kedy Brain will also only be built into specific external Devices. There will be physical and remote-control methods of intervening in their control of these Devices, disabling their control, shutting down the Kedy Units, or even effectively killing them. They cannot take control in such a way as to to "hold us to ransom".

So - there are both inherent "internal" limitations, controls and checks built-in, and there are external "brute force" methods of disabling, shutting-down or even killing these Kedy Devices.
__________________________________________________ ______

In both cases, great care is always going to be taken - and the inherent risks are always going to be borne in mind, so that both "Sibilings" and Kedy Devices are going to be watched and monitored closely.

It is for others to decide whether it is safe to proceed with these Projects - or to cancel them completely.
Either you - Tsar, our Prime Minister, or The Parliament of The Pheonix Confederation - will have to decide if the risks are unacceptable.

It is for others to decide whether it is safe to proceed with these Projects - or to cancel them completely.
Either you - Tsar, our Prime Minister, or The Parliament of The Pheonix Confederation - will have to decide if the risks are unacceptable.

I would say that we can proceed, however there should be regular reports to both the science ministry and the parliament. The ladies involved should also be made aware of the scrutiny that they will be under and the reasons for it. I would like them to agree to being monitored and to understand that it is because of the possible way the Zetan’s developed that is causing the scrutiny.

__________________MountainMan: Political hypocrisy has been alive and well since the first politician emerged from the primordial slime and failed to evolve.

I would say that we can proceed, however there should be regular reports to both the science ministry and the parliament. The ladies involved should also be made aware of the scrutiny that they will be under and the reasons for it. I would like them to agree to being monitored and to understand that it is because of the possible way the Zetan’s developed that is causing the scrutiny.

Agreed entirely - It is defnitely the intention of the Science Department of The Attican Republic, to keep a very close eye on their development.

Reports will be regularly provided, and the Ladies in question will be fully informed. They already know that they are Special, in a virtually unique way, and exactly how - but they have been encouraged to regard that as a positive thing.

Fortunately - the nature of the Population of Attica, and their growth and development ( through Modified Cloning ) has led all Attican Citizens to regard Cloning in a positive light, and to readily accept al Cloned Persons as true People.
These Ladies are just that bit more special, not in any way less than People, but with different abilities. Of course, they also understand that along with their special abilities - some of their other natural abilities are rather reduced.

The identity of these Ladies will remain secret until the time that they enter the Services of the Navy, Marines and Military Services as fully trained Communications Officers.
However, they will be observed and monitored during their current development - and in their future development. This will be fully explained to each of them, and also the reasons for this monitoring.

It is believed that they will understand the reasons for the close scrutiny - and our fears that they just might develop into a dominating force in our Civilisation. It might seem that these are unreasonable fears - but then a lot of human fears are unreasonable, but we all feel a lot better if our fears are allayed, and we are reassured about those fears.

Two new Terraforming Projects have been instigated, using Manufacturing Facilities of the METENG Consortium – Metals and Energy.

Ammonite Project – Terraforming

This Project has been undergoing development - and is now ready for Production to begin.
It is intended to produce Plants and Systems to convert Ammonia Atmospheres into more useful ( and habitable ) Atmospheres.
These could be used to convert the Atmospheres of Ammonia Planets which would be potential Colonies for the Zetans – or to convert the Atmospheres of Planets which have been abandoded by the Zetans, if we are lucky enough to be able to force their abandonment.

Type 1 - Carbammon Units

These will comprise Plants and Systems, to directly convert Ammonia into Nitric Oxide and Carbon Dioxide, by simple combustion in Oxygen.
These will basically comprise extremely large vertical Combustion Units, like giant Turbojets, with the derived rotary motion driving powerful fans drawing atmosphere in radially at the base – and the exhaust being ejected at high velocity, vertically out of the top of the Units.
These will use large supplies of LOX for the Combustion process – and will need to be replenished with supplies of LOX, via replaceable ( detachable ) LOX Tanks.
This works on a very simple chemical reaction -

NH3 + O2 = NO + H2O

So – for every Atom of Oxygen Gas provided – these will produce 1 Atom of Nitric Oxide and 1 Atom of Water ( as water vapour ). In practice – NO is an unstable molecule, which will break down slowly, to produce N2 and O2.

Eventually – the Atmosphere will contain a proportion of Nitrogen and Oxygen, which have been derived from the Ammonia. A Hydrosphere of Water will slowly develop also, from the Water Vapour.

Type 2 - Ammonite Units

These will comprise much more complex Units, to convert Ammonia from the Atmosphere, into Ammonium Nitrate - which is both an important chemical fertlizer, and an important ingrediant in some types of Explosives.

The process begins with the conversion of Ammonia into Nitric Oxide and Water, in Units very similar to the Carbammon Units – although larger quantities of LOX are required for the full process. The first stage chemical reaction will be as follows –

The final process is to react this Nitric Acid with Ammonia drawn in from the Atmosphere.
Ammonia can be Reacted directly with Nitric Acid, in a water solution – to produce an aqeuous solution of Ammonium Nitrate. Alternately, it can be dry reacted – which is a violent reaction.
In practice we will get something in-between, in a Converter after the Exhaust Gases, which include water in vapour form, are mixed with a volume of the Ammonia Atmosphere, drawn in.
This is also a simple reaction –

34 HNO3 + 34 NH3 + 5 H2O = 34 NH4NO3 + 5 H2O.

So – From 34 Molecules of NHO3 ( Nitric Acid ), with 5 Molecules of Water – and 34 Moleclues of the Ammonia Atmosphere drawn in –
We will get 34 Molecules of NH4NO3 ( Ammonium Nitrate ), and retain the 5 Molecules of Water ( as water vapour ).

Production

Manufacture has now begun on producing some Very Large Type 1A Carbammon Units, each with an ability to process 500 Kg per hour of Ammonia Atmosphere – to produce Water ( H2O ) and Nitric Oxide ( NO ).
These Units include automatic controls, so that they will operate efficiently in a completely unmanned manner. They will however include Communications Equipment and tight-beam Ultra-Radio communicators, so that they can be monitored remotely. This will also include monitoring the LOX supplies.
They will be placed and secured on foundation bases – with a Landing Dock alongside for LOX Tank Ships. These Installations will each also include a Long-Range Detector, with a 90 degree by 360 degree detection cone.
They will be self-powered, using energy developed by the Turbines – with power storge and capacitors used to store power for operations when the Turbines have been stopped, and for ignition.
These will be manufactured at a rate of 200 per Month.

Manufacture has now begun on producing some Very Large Type 2 Ammonite Units, each with an ability to process 200 Kg per hour of Ammonia Atmosphere – to produce Ammonium Nitrate ( NH4NO3 ) and Water ( H2O ).
These Units include automatic controls, so that they will operate efficiently in a completely unmanned manner. They will however include Commnications Equipment and tight-beam Ultra-Radio communicators, so that they can be monitored remotely. This will also include monitoring the LOX supplies. The Ammonium Nitrate produced will also be collected in Storage Tanks.
They will be placed and secured on foundation bases – with a Landing Dock alongside for LOX Tank Ships, and for collecting the Ammonium Nitrate Storage Tanks. These Installations will each also include a Long-Range Detector, with a 90 degree by 360 degree detection cone.
They will be self-powered, using energy developed by the Turbines – with power storge and capacitors used to store power for operations when the Turbines have been stopped, and for ignition.
These will be manufactured at a rate of 20 per Month.

Carboxy Project – Terraforming

This Project has been undergoing development – and a major part of the operation of the Units uses specially developed devices produced by the NANOTECH Consortium [/B]- Nano-Bot R&D and Manufacture.
These are the Carboxy Nano- Bots, which work a lot like Cyanobacteria or Phytoplankton – that is, operating in a water environment to reduce Carbon Dioxide to Carbon and Oxygen. The difference is that these are not living organisms – they will actually release the Oxygen as a gas, whilst releasing the carbon as fine dust, almost molecular powder, which will settle downwards through the water.
Being devices and not living organisms - they will be energised by electric charges as static electricity voltages transmitted through the water medium, in which they are suspended.
This project has now reached the point where Production of Units may now begin.

Type 1 – Carboxy Gas Units

These Units effectively comprise a large tank of water, in which the Carboxy Nano-Bots are suspended – together with pumps and filtration systems. Carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is pumped into the bottom of the tank.
If the atmosphere contains other gases, providing they are not of unacceptable types, they will simply bubble up through the tank, to the top vents.
The Units will also include bottom-scraping devices to scrape-up the carbon dust from the bottom of the tank. There are also small settling tanks in which the carbon dust is fully settled-out and which form collection points for the carbon dust.
The Oxygen simply bubbles out from the top of the tank, and this is vented to the atmosphere.

An alternative is to pipe the Oxygen via pumps to a Refrigeration System, where the Oxygen is directed as Liquid Oxygen, LOX into refrigerated Tanks.
These Units will include Fusion Powerplants, providing power for all operations, for energising the static electic charges. This included the operation of Communications and other Systems.
These Units include automatic controls, so that they will operate efficiently in a completely unmanned manner. They will however include Communications Equipment and tight-beam Ultra-Radio communicators, so that they can be monitored remotely. This will also include monitoring the Oxygen and Carbon production.
They will be placed and secured on foundation bases – with a Landing Dock alongside for LOX Tank Ships, and for Carbon collection Ships. These Installations will each also include a Long-Range Detector, with a 90 degree by 360 degree detection cone.
They will include power storge and capacitors used to store standby power.

Manufacture has now begun on producing some Very Large Type 1 Carboxy Gas Units, each with an ability to process 500 Kg per hour of Carbon Dioxide Atmosphere – to produce Water Oxygen ( O2 ) and Carbon Dust.
These will be manufactured at a rate of 20 per Month.

Type 2 – Carboxy Cardice Units

These Units effectively comprise a large tank of water, in which the Carboxy Nano-Bots are suspended – together with pumps and filtration systems. Carbon dioxide is pumped into the bottom of the tank.
They will also include bottom-scraping devices to scrape-up the carbon dust from the bottom of the tank. There are also small settling tanks in which the carbon dust is fully settled-out and which form collection points for the carbon dust. The Oxygen simply bubbles out from the top of the tank.

These Units are designed for installation on Planets which have a surface of solid CO2 ( Dry Ice – sometimes called Cardice ). They have hoppers for collecting Dry Ice which has been “mined” from the planetary surface. Obviously their operation will have to be supported by a number of either manned or automatic Mining Excavators.
The Oxygen which is produced will be piped via pumps to a Refrigeration System, where the Oxygen is directed as Liquid Oxygen, LOX into refrigerated Tanks.
Much of the heat extracted from the Oxygen will be used to assist in melting the Dry Ice collected via the hoppers.
These Units will include Fusion Powerplants, providing power for all operations, for energising the static electic charges. This included the operation of Communications and other Systems.
These Units include automatic controls, so that they will operate efficiently in a completely unmanned manner. They will however include Communications Equipment and tight-beam Ultra-Radio communicators, so that they can be monitored remotely. This will also include monitoring the Oxygen and Carbon production.
They will be placed and secured on foundation bases – with a Landing Dock alongside for LOX Tank Ships, and for Carbon collection Ships. These Installations will each also include a Long-Range Detector, with a 90 degree by 360 degree detection cone.
They will include power storge and capacitors used to store standby power.

Manufacture has now begun on producing some Very Large Type 2 Carboxy Cardice Units, each with an ability to process 500 Kg per hour of Carbon Dioxide Atmosphere – to produce Water Oxygen ( O2 ) and Carbon Dust
These will be manufactured at a rate of 20 per Month.

Transport / Towing Ships – “Helltenders”. 2 Km long.
They will comprise a major spinal structure, with a larger rear portion combining the main Powerplants and the main Reaction Drives and FTL Drive Engines, which will comprise both standard FTL and Z-Drive. There will be a forward structure combining a Bridge and crew quarters. There will also be an Emergency Conning Position in the forward part of the Engineering portion.
There will also be an additional Reserve Powerplants within the spinal structure, to provide a total of 75% of power requirements, and an Emergency Powerplant to provide 25% of maximum power required.
Long-legged Landing Gear is provided for landing on the Docks – with a ground clearance under the spinal structure of some 0.25 Km – to allow for stacked Very Large Transport Containers to a height of 0.2 Km to be carried. Carrying frames, securing locks and two Travelling Cranes are also provided for loading and unloading these Transport Containers.
Carrying Capacity - 60,000 tons.
These Ships ARE specifically designed to be landed at Docks on normal Planetary Surfaces.
Armoured with Aluminium Nitrate Armour over the Powerplants, Drive Systems and Bridge – with two zoned Energy Shields for the ship structure, and an additional wide area Energy Shield for the cargo area, which can be energised.NOTE - These Ships are specially designed for Operation in Extreme Hostile Environments – that is either extremely aggressive Caustic Chemical Environments, or aggressive Acidic Chemical environments.
This means that all external components, external structures, air locks, etc. – are either manufactured from materials which are inherently resistant to aggressive Caustic or Acidic Chemicals, or they are coated with coatings which are resistant to aggressive Caustic or Acidic Chemicals. These Ships will also each be equipped with similarly protected Environment Suits ( “Space Suits” ) for a maximum of 1,000 Personnel.
These will all be resistant to Caustic and Acidic aggressive chemicals – including Caustic Soda, Potassium Hydroxide, Calcium Oxide – and Hydrogen Sulphate, Hydrogen Nitrate, Hydrogen Chloride, Hydrogen Fluoride.
Local Defence Armament –
2 x Standard Railguns
6 x Point Defence Clusters
6 x twin Grit Guns
Gravity Control Systems –
5 x Anti-Missile Gravity Control Systems
6 x Tractor / Pressor detail beam Gravity Control Systems ( cargo or object handling )
2 x Tractor / Pressor beam Gravity Control Systems ( towing ).

During the recent two months there have been growing concerns amongst the population of the Dominion of New Byzantium – primarily centred on the actual safety of the Planets and Colonies of New Byzantium.
In particular, there has been growing and increasing concerns that these Planets and Colonies are NOT safe - that if they were to be attacked by a Fleet or even a Task Force of Zetan Ships, they would be “wide open” with very limited Defences, and an inadequate Fleet of Ships to defend these Territories.

These mounting concerns have not just been confined to the general Citizens of New Byzantium – but in addition some of the most wealthy Citizens are even more concerned. These are the people who have spent cnsiderable fortunes buying Accomodation Units on orbiting Luxury Cities, and in paying the very high Lease Charges for these Accomodation Units. They are beginning to realise that these orbiting Luxury Cities are very poorly defended – and yet they are the objects in space which may be the first Targets in a possible Attack by Zetan Forces.

Growing demands, and even more strident demands have been made to the Government of New Byzantium – to make massive increases in the provision of fixed Defences for the Planets, the provision of Defensive Moon Bases, and the provision of strong and powerful Defences on the Orbital Cities and the Orbital Spaceports.
These demands have included at first requests, and then demands that if necessary – the Government should INCREASE the Rates of Taxes, if that will be necessary in order to provide the required Defences to ensure Safety for the Planets, the Orbital Structures, and in fact for the whole of the Gamma System.

A Surprising development during the last month has been that even the Major Business Interests of New Byzantium, the Manufacturers and Traders have started demanding increased Defences – for the Planets, for the Orbital Cities and Orbital Spaceports, and for the Orbital Factories.
Along with this has come a call for INCREASED Taxation in necessary, to finance the building of sufficient Defences to ensure the Safety of their Industrial, Manufacturing and Trading Facilities – either on the Planets or in orbit.
They have come to realise that is of very limuited advantage for them ot be making massive Profits from their present endeavours – if all of their Facilities, Development and and Wealth could be destroyed in a matter of hours, by a determined Attack by Zetan Forces.

There are also strong and vociferous demands for the building of a much larger Defensive Force of Warships – in addition to the provision of Fixed Defences.

The Government of New Byzantium has been forced to take heed of these publicly expressed opinions, or risk a Revolt which may become violent. However, the Government has been virtually split by these demands.
One prominent Faction calling itself the Defence Party is advocating a move to a complete War Economy, where spending on Defencese would comprise some 40% or more of the total Gross Product of the Dominion.
Another major Faction calling itself the Capitalist Party is advocating a move to a much smaller Defence Budget – not to exceed some 10% of the total Gross Product of the Dominion.
Other smaller Parties advocate other policies – generally between these extremes. However, the War Party is advocating a move to a War Economy where some 50% of the total Gross Product of the Dominion.

Further developments in the politics of New Byzantium are expected – and Elections for a new Governing Council may take place, during the next month.
There are even suggestions that President Dashwood may have to stand for Re-Election – with a number of other alternative Candidates being suggested.